当它涉及到美国人对美洲原住民（1）文化和历史的了解时，有人会说有两种类型的人-对土著人一无所知的人和对此了解不多的人。并非完全如此，但是大多数美国人对美洲第一民族并不十分熟悉。尽管有些人可能认为完全不需要了解土著人民，但大多数人可能会同意，一定程度上了解土著人的观点对学生来说是一件好事。美国人可能认为，提供这种机会是公共教育系统的责任。由于许多人对印第安人的了解有限，因此我们可以说是美国最容易被误解的种族之一。美洲原住民也是最孤立的群体之一。因此，大多数人对印第安人的了解并非来自直接的经验。人们所了解的信息受到其信息来源的限制-不幸的是，有关印第安人的许多信息都来自流行文化。即使在原住民集中度很高的地区（例如在西方国家），大多数人对他们所在地区的第一批公民的历史和文化也不甚了解。即使非印第安人熟悉印第安人，他们对土著人的印象也会相当消极。实际上，在像蒙大纳州这样的州，“熟悉会轻视他人”一词是对土著人与非本地人之间紧张关系的描述。刻板印象不能以更亲密，更有意义的方式认识个人。通过依靠刻板印象来描述美洲原住民，白人开始相信印第安人是醉汉，他们从政府那里得到免费资金，并从赌场收入中获得了丰厚的收入。或者，他们可能会认为印第安人与大自然合一，在宗教信仰上具有深厚的宗教信仰和智慧。我无意消除所有陈规定型观念，也不打算谈及所有有关土著人民的神话。相反，我想对教师和其他人在评估课程，制定教学计划或教印度儿童时应牢记的最重要考虑提供自己的看法。这些神话中的许多看起来似乎很荒谬，甚至很愚蠢，但每个神话几乎每天都会被土著人遇到。误解1.美洲原住民更喜欢被称为美洲原住民。与学生进行的最重要的对话之一似乎是最基本的。作为土生土长的人，人们经常问我的第一个问题是：“你想被称为什么？” 通常，这是出于政治正确性的考虑而提出的，但通常这是一个真诚的问题。有多种选择-包括“美国原住民”，“美洲印第安人”和“原住民”，以及支持或反对使用其中任何一种的良好论据。“美国原住民”似乎是学术界的首选。在我自己的写作或演讲中，我习惯于使用“美国原住民”来指代该国的第一民族（尽管在谈话中我更可能使用“美洲印第安人”或“印度裔”）。我对这些术语的使用表示歉意，并且不要 没必要花很多时间（在本文中节省）向他人解释为什么我使用或不使用一个术语或另一个术语。长期以来，“美洲印第安人”和简称“印第安人”一直是争论的主题。一些土著人指出，“印第安人”一词是克里斯托弗·哥伦布所谓的“发现”的不愉快遗产，因此，该词是后来美洲原住民土地殖民的遗产。在加拿大，最广泛用于描述原住民的术语是“本地人”。再有，就像《美国原住民》一样，我们可以说我们都是所属国家的原住民。该讨论没有任何解决方案。作为土著人民，我们自己对此感到精神分裂。… 或者不使用一个或另一个术语。长期以来，“美洲印第安人”和简称“印第安人”一直是争论的主题。一些土著人指出，“印第安人”一词是克里斯托弗·哥伦布所谓的“发现”的不愉快遗产，因此，该词是后来美洲原住民土地殖民的遗产。在加拿大，最广泛用于描述原住民的术语是“本地人”。再有，就像《美国原住民》一样，我们可以说我们都是所属国家的原住民。该讨论没有任何解决方案。作为土著人民，我们自己对此感到精神分裂。… 或者不使用一个或另一个术语。长期以来，“美洲印第安人”和简称“印第安人”一直是争论的主题。一些土著人指出，“印第安人”一词是克里斯托弗·哥伦布所谓的“发现”的不愉快遗产，因此，该词是后来美洲原住民土地殖民的遗产。在加拿大，最广泛用于描述原住民的术语是“本地人”。再有，就像《美国原住民》一样，我们可以说我们都是各自所属国家的原住民。该讨论没有任何解决方案。作为土著人民，我们自己对此感到精神分裂。… 长期以来一直是辩论的主题。一些土著人指出，“印第安人”一词是克里斯托弗·哥伦布所谓的“发现”的不愉快遗产，因此，该词是后来美洲原住民土地殖民的遗产。在加拿大，最广泛用于描述原住民的术语是“本地人”。再有，就像《美国原住民》一样，我们可以说我们都是所属国家的原住民。该讨论没有任何解决方案。作为土著人民，我们自己对此感到精神分裂。… 长期以来一直是辩论的主题。一些土著人指出，“印第安人”一词是克里斯托弗·哥伦布所谓的“发现”的不愉快遗产，因此，该词是后来美洲原住民土地殖民的遗产。在加拿大，最广泛用于描述原住民的术语是“本地人”。再有，就像《美国原住民》一样，我们可以说我们都是所属国家的原住民。该讨论没有任何解决方案。作为土著人民，我们自己对此感到精神分裂。… 后来美洲原住民土地殖民的遗产。在加拿大，最广泛用于描述原住民的术语是“本地人”。再有，就像《美国原住民》一样，我们可以说我们都是所属国家的原住民。该讨论没有任何解决方案。作为土著人民，我们自己对此感到精神分裂。… 后来美洲原住民土地殖民的遗产。在加拿大，最广泛用于描述原住民的术语是“本地人”。再有，就像《美国原住民》一样，我们可以说我们都是所属国家的原住民。该讨论没有任何解决方案。作为土著人民，我们自己对此感到精神分裂。… WHEN IT comes to Americans' knowledge about Native American (1) culture and history, one might say there are two types of people--those who know nothing about Natives and those who know less than that. That's not exactly true, but most Americans are not very familiar with the first peoples of the Americas. Though some might argue that it is wholly unnecessary to have any knowledge about Native peoples, most would probably agree that some exposure to Native perspectives is a good thing for students. And Americans probably believe that it is the responsibility of the public education system to provide that exposure. Because many people have such a limited knowledge of Indians, we are, arguably, among the most misunderstood ethnic groups in the United States. Native Americans are also among the most isolated groups. Thus the knowledge that most people have about Indians does not come from direct experience. What people know is limited by their sources of information--and, unfortunately, much of the information about Indians is derived from popular culture. Even in areas where the concentration of Native peoples is high--say, in the West--most people do not know very much about the history and culture of the first citizens of their region. Even if non-Indians are familiar with Indians, the impressions they have of Native people can be quite negative. In fact, in states like Montana, the expression "familiarity breeds contempt" is descriptive of the tensions between Native and non-Native people. Stereotyping is a poor substitute for getting to know individuals at a more intimate, meaningful level. By relying on stereotypes to describe Native Americans, whites come to believe that Indians are drunks, get free money from the government, and are made wealthy from casino revenue. Or they may believe that Indians are at one with nature, deeply religious, and wise in the ways of spirituality. I do not intend to dispel all of the stereotypes or address all of the many myths about Native peoples; instead, I'd like to offer my perspective on the most important considerations that teachers and others might keep in mind when assessing curriculum, developing lesson plans, or teaching Indian children. Many of these myths may seem ridiculous, even silly, but each one is encountered by Native people on an almost daily basis. Myth 1. Native Americans prefer to be called Native Americans. One of the most significant conversations with students seems to be the most basic. The first question people often ask me, as a Native person, is, "What do you want to be called?" Often, this is asked in the interest of political correctness, but as often it is a sincere question. There are several choices--including "Native American," "American Indian," and "Native"--and good arguments for, or against, using any one of these. "Native American" seems to be the preference in academic circles. In my own writing or lectures, I am accustomed to using "Native American" in reference to the first peoples of this country (although in conversation I'm more likely to use "American Indian" or "Indian"). I am unapologetic in my use of these terms and don't find it necessary to spend lots of time (save in this article) explaining to others why I do, or do not, use one term or another. "American Indian" and the shortened version, "Indian," have long been the subject of debate. Some Natives point out that the term "Indian" is an unhappy legacy of Christopher Columbus' so-called discovery and that the term is, therefore, a legacy of the subsequent colonization of the lands of the Native peoples of the Americas. In Canada, the term most widely used to describe aboriginal people is "Native." Again, as with "Native American," one can argue that we are all natives of our respective countries of affiliation. This discussion does not have any resolution. We, as Native people, are quite schizophrenic about it ourselves. …